Game table



l. RUlT GAME TABLE July 11, 1939.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10, 1938 INVE O. .10 IsaacFEuz'a R UN-MK ATTORNEY.

July 11, 1939. RUIT 2,165,907

GAME TABLE Filed Nov. 10, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ifaa 7? wait BY I ATTORNEY.

INVENTOR,

Patented July 11, 1939 PATENT OFFICE GAME TABLE Isaac Ruit, Paterson, N. J., assignor of one-half to Daniel Wagner, Paterson, N. J.

Application November 10, 1938, Serial No. 239,805

2 Claims.

This invention relates to that class of game tables on which balls are played, as with the aid of a cue. According to the invention, to wit, embodied in the structure of the table, and describing the same at this point only in a general way, there is a playing space which is bounded'on two opposite sides by parallel rows of pockets open inwardly and at a third side is provided with a barrier; the pockets of the two rows are formed by partitions which not only converge in the direction of the barrier but are so arranged that those of either row are parallel with each other; and preferably the barrier and the partitions afford cushions to assume the impact of the balls, this cushioning being so disposed that at no point of normal play can a ball undergo a noncushioned impact with any part of the table. The arrangement of the partitions in the particular way set forth is essential to the use of the table as the game for which it is intended and hereinafter set forth is played inasmuch as due to such arrangement and regardless of the width of the pockets the difficulty in pocketing the balls is varied, that is to say, actually graduated.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a plan of the table, partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan of one of the partitions;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of one such partition with its cover and top plate removed;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sections on lines 4-4 and 5--5, respectively, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a partition on line 66, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View of the barrier.

Without being limited to all the details of construction to be set forth, I describe my invention in respect to the example shown by the drawings as follows:

Let one or more longitudinal beams I and crossbeams 2 form with a surrounding wall 3 the frame of the table, such wall risingabove the beams as shown in Fig. 5 and being here surmounted by a suitably wide strip t. The frame is rectangular and elongated in plan. A slate slab 5 rests on the beams, being covered with felt fabric 6 and here flanked by two wood boards 1, also resting on the beams and having their top surfaces flush with that'of the fabric. This slab reaches from the wall 3 at one end of the frame to near the wall at the other end, at which end there may be an elongated and suitably formed well 8 to receive the balls to be played. 7

The latter end of the table forms what I term the near end, being the end from which the play starts, the other end being treated as the far end.

Projecting inwardly from the upstanding long sides of the wall 3 of the table are partitions generally designated H1 in Fig. 1. A significant feature respecting these partitions is that the partitions of the two groups converge in the direction of the far end of the table though as to each group they are all substantially parallel with each other. In the present example each group comprises the same number of partitions as the other group and each partition in either group is directly opposed to a corresponding partition in the other group. The inner ends of the partitions of either group are here parallel with the inner ends of those of the other group.

At the far end of the table there may be secured upon and across the slab 5 and boards I,

as by screws H, a strip l2 parallel with the por- 1 tion of Wall 3 at the far end of the table.

In each angle formed by this strip and the corresponding side portion of wall 3 is fitted and secured, as by screws l3, a triangular element l4 whose bias margin is parallel with the adjacent partition. This element extends to the same line, parallel with the long sides of the table, as do all the partitions in the corresponding group.

Adjacent said strip l2 and reaching from nearly one to nearly the other of the elements I4 is a barrier element l5 which presents a convex side toward the near end of the table, being held in place by screws [6.

The partitions each have the general form in plan shown by Fig. 2. Each includes a wood strip I! having a generally rectangular cross section and having a recess Ila formed in one long side thereof. This recess and the fact that the stripis formed with a long bevel l'lb at its opposite side and reaching to one end of the strip provide a head He thereon simulating an arrow head. The surface I'ld at the opposite end of the strip forms a 45 angle with the latter side which is adapted to abut squarely against one of the long or side portions of the wall 3, as shown in Fig. 1.

The head of each partition is to provide a cushion at both sides thereof, wherefore a rubber strip llm is bent around the point of the head and set in a groove l9 therein, the head being then covered with felt fabric 20 which may be capped by a metal plate 2| held in place by a screw 22.

Similarly the elements I4 and [5 are to provide cushions, for example, as shown in Fig. 7. Here the side of the element (in the example element [5) which adjoins the playing area of the table is formed with a groove 23 in which is seated a rubber strip 24, the whole being covered with felt fabric 25.

The partitions are held in place as follows: Being positioned as shown in Fig. 1 and as described, a pair of parallel strips 2B21 is imposed on each group and the corresponding element l4 and secured to the table-proper (formed by the slab 5 and boards 'I) by screws 28, i. e., so that each partition is held by two screws. The strips 25-21 are spaced to permit access to the balls in removing them from the pockets.

Adjoining each partition at the near end of the table and in alinement with the corresponding strip 2'! is a barrier 29 (Fig. 5) comprising a wood strip 30 having a rubber strip 3| secured to its inner side, the whole being covered with felt fabric32 and secured to the adjoining board I by brackets 33. The strip 3| is at the same elevation as the rubber strips of the partitions and elements l3l4.

The balls are indicated at a: The spacing of the partitions and the elevation of the strips 2621 are of course sufficient to admit the balls a, which are all of the same diameter, to any pocket. Some of the pockets, as at as, may be wider than the others. Each pocket has a depth sufficient to admit several balls.

The scratch line is indicated at 34.

There may be any number of balls, the object being for each player at his turn to play to place all the balls in the pockets, using a cue. For instance, the play may be as follows:

All plays are made from the near end of the table, to wit, with a ball placed on the scratch line and shot toward some ball on the table, the object being to pocket one or more balls on each shot. And in this connection it is noted that, since the pockets have their mouths directed away from the near end of the table, the possibility of pocketing any ball except by a caroming of either the ball struck or the cue ball off some other object, as another ball or a part of the table, is very remote. Again the construction is further such that the further a pocket is removed from the barrier the greater is the difficulty, even by caroming, of entering any ball into such a pocket.

At the outset a given ball, as a white ball, is placed on the spot at 35. With a ball taken from the supply in the well as a cue ball, the object is to cause the cue ball to strike the spot ball and pocket one or both of them (if both balls are pocketed the spot ball is returned to the spot) The same player continues using all the balls in well 8, and at each shot he may aim to strike any ball on the table. When all the balls in the well have been exhausted the players frame is complete and his score is determined by the sum of the values 30, etc., appearing adjacent the pockets in Fig. 1 containing balls.

The table may be regarded as providing in conformity with a single horizontal plane a playing area or field on its top surface between and reaching as far as the rows of partitions extend in the direction in which the partitions of the two rows converge and means, as barrier l5, to check the displacement of balls appreciably from between said rows in said direction. As in the example, the barrier I5 and each partition, at least as to its inner end portion, is equipped with cushioning means; in the sense that it forms one side or wall of a pocket each element I4 may be treated as a partition.

Each pocket is elongated lengthwise of the partitions and also widened at Ila so that it may accommodate a plurality of balls. And in view of this I do not wish to be limited to the pockets existing because of walls or partitions which project above the surface of the playing area, since my invention would be accomplished without that condition so long as the elongated pockets exist in two rows and with the mouths of the pockets of the two rows substantially parallel, and with the longitudinal axes of the pockets of either row converging with those of the axes of the other row, and the table provides above its top surface means (as l5) to check the displacement of balls appreciably from between said rows in the direction in which said axes converge.

It is known in this art (Burke Patent No. 1,964,- 378) to provide a barrier at the far end of the table and rows of partitions at opposite sides of the playing area which radiate from the central portion of the barrier, the partitions increasing in length the further they are removed from the barrier. Since in such case the rows are in fact not parallel nor are the partitions of either row parallel and since the balls are consequently accessible to the pockets only from a limited part of the playing area directly adjacent the barrier, such table is of course distinct not only in the possibilities with respect to its use but in actual structure from my table as I herein claim the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, structure affording a substantially plane top playing surface and having substantially parallel upstanding wall portions flanking said surface, a row of substantially parallel partitions adjacent each said wall portion and arranged on said surface, said partitions of one row converging with those of the other row in one direction in which the wall portions horizontally extend, means to secure the partitions of each row to said structure including spaced strips bridging the partitions of such row, and means upstanding above said surface and arranged to check the displacement in said direction of balls from between said rows.

2. The hereindescribed game table having a horizontal planiform playing area on its top surface and elongated pockets in rows opposed to each other and having said area between them and arranged with the longitudinal axes of the pockets of either row converging with the longitudinal axes of the pockets of the other row and with the mouths of the pockets of the two rows in substantially parallel lines, said table including a barrier arranged to check the displacement of balls appreciably from between said rows in the direction in which said axes converge and said barrier extending, and in plan presenting atthe side thereof adjacent said area a single convex surface also extending, from substantially one of said lines to the other.

ISAAC RUIT. 

